The correct answer is: d) Contested with varying interpretations.
Verrier Elwin was a British anthropologist and administrator who worked in India from the 1920s to the 1960s. He is best known for his work with tribal peoples in India, particularly in the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA), which is now the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Elwin’s work with tribal peoples was controversial. Some people have accused him of being paternalistic and patronizing towards tribal cultures, while others have praised him for his sympathetic understanding of tribal peoples and his efforts to protect their rights.
Elwin’s work is still debated today, and there is no consensus on his legacy. However, he is undoubtedly one of the most important figures in the study of tribal peoples in India.
Here is a brief explanation of each option:
- a) Suppressive of tribal rights: This option is incorrect because Elwin was not suppressive of tribal rights. In fact, he was a strong advocate for tribal rights and worked to protect them from exploitation.
- b) Patronizing towards tribal cultures: This option is also incorrect because Elwin was not patronizing towards tribal cultures. He respected tribal cultures and sought to understand them on their own terms.
- c) Sympathetic to tribal aspirations: This option is the closest to the correct answer, but it is not entirely accurate. Elwin was sympathetic to tribal aspirations, but he also believed that tribal peoples needed to be integrated into the wider Indian society.
- d) Contested with varying interpretations: This is the correct answer because Elwin’s work is still debated today, and there is no consensus on his legacy.